Glossary of Terms

adulticiding – the spraying of pesticies to kill fully developed (adult) mosquitoes, which fly, bite, and can transmit disease

Aedes – a mosquito genus

arbovirus – (contraction of arthropod-borne virus) any of more than 300 known viruses that are carried by arthropod vectors; includes some viruses that can cause encephalitis

Culex – a mosquito genus

Culex pipiens – the “house mosquito”; includes the northern (Culex pipiens pipiens) and the southern (Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus) subspecies

larviciding – the use of bacteria, pesticides, layered oil, etc., to kill immature (larval) mosquitoes, which are aquatic and do not bite or transmit diseases

mammalophilic – prefers to feed on mammals

ornithophilic – prefers to feed on birds

vector – an organism (such as a mosquito) that carries a pathogen from one host to another